Olives, Oranges and Co: Mediterranean crop plants

Sweet tropical fruits, aromatic herbs and spices, spicy olives - woody plants whose fruits we all enjoy grow throughout the Mediterranean region. Some of the best known are listed here, together with others offering somewhat different culinary delights.

The Common Fig has distinctive large leaves with net-like patterning and inconspicuous flowers enclosed in a jug-like structure. The tasty false fruits are green or purple-green in colour. Also thrives in Central European regions with mild winters.

The Mastic is a shrub or tree with a dense network of branches. Its bark produces mastic resin, which is not only used for medicinal purposes, but also to flavour wine (retsina) or schnaps. Mastic resin is produced on the island Chios in particular.

The Orange is a medium-sized tree from China with tasty fruit. It is the most widely cultivated citrus fruit, followed by tangerines and lemons, and ripens best in Mediterranean climates as it prefers cool temperatures at harvest time. The name orange comes from the ancient Indian name "naranga", meaning "the fruit that elephants like".

Very long-lived evergreen tree, one of the oldest plants to be cultivated as a source of oil in the Mediterranean regions. The trees growing in olive groves are pruned. The more gnarled a tree is, the greater its yield reputedly becomes. Olive trees reach great age. The oldest tree stands in Trevi, Italy, and is around 1700 years old.

The Pomegranate is a deciduous tree producing a tasty fruit with sweet seeds. Its name is derived from the Latin word for kernels or seeds. The pomegranates which grow on the island of Grenada make a favourite syrup for cocktails (hence the alternative name Grenadine).